Senator demands probe of BP tax break

By Annalyn Censky, staff reporterJuly 29, 2010: 4:45 PM ET

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Two days after BP said it will write off the cost of the oil spill cleanup against its income taxes, a U.S. senator is calling for a Congressional probe into the company's tax plans.

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. sent a letter to the Senate Finance Committee Thursday, requesting a series of hearings on the matter and calling BP's plans to take a tax write-off "unacceptable."

"Taxes are paid on profits and the Gulf of Mexico spill response costs have reduced BP's US profits -- so it follows that our tax obligations will be lower as well," he said.

In admonishing the oil giant for its tax plans, Nelson also pointed out that Goldman Sachs (GS, Fortune 500) has said it will forgo any tax deduction for the $535 million it will pay in penalties in its settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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